Fast Food Nation
The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
By Eric Schlosser
Sunday, August 17, 2008
So, What’s in that Happy Meal Besides the Cheap Toy?
Written by Beth Bader
Published on February 12th, 2008
Ever wonder what’s really in your fast food meal? Here’s the ingredients list for a Happy Meal that contains nuggets, fries and a Hi-C beverage:
White boneless chicken, water, food starch-modified, salt, chicken flavor (autolyzed yeast extract, salt, wheat starch, natural flavoring (botanical source), safflower oil, dextrose, citric acid, rosemary), sodium phosphates, seasoning (canola oil, mono- and diglycerides, natural extractives of rosemary). Battered and breaded with: water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, food starch-modified, salt, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate), spices, wheat starch, whey, corn starch. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent). Water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), potassium benzoate (to protect taste), modified food starch, natural flavors (vegetable source), glycerol ester of wood rosin, yellow 6, brominated vegetable oil, red 40. Potatoes, vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives)*, citric acid (preservative), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent)), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent).
Wow. Amidst the few recognizable food items and the really-bad-for-you hydrogentated oils, what is all that other stuff? Get the answer after the jump.
Those ingredients are food additives. Additives are chemical compounds that are used to enhance or preserve (enhance being a relative term) color, texture, flavor and shelf life of a manufactured food. Some additives are safe, at least as far as the FDA is concerned, in small quantities. However, there are many that just don’t belong in food despite what the FDA says.
In at least one case, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services contradicts the FDA on the safety of an additive.BHA, BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE , and BHT, or BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE, are both used to prevent oils from going rancid, oils such as those used in frying. BHA is considered to be “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” Testing of BHT is unclear whether or not it may be a carcinogen as well, and residues of this chemical have been found in human fat stores. Despite the Department of Health and Human Services findings, the FDA continues to allow BHA to be used. You can find both of these substances in the sausage patties of a fast food breakfast sandwich.
TBHQ, or TERT-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE is used as an antioxidant for unsaturated vegetable oils and animal fats. It can be used in combination with BHA. It is added to a wide range of foods, with highest limit permitted for frozen fish. It is used to enhance storage life. For industrial use, TBHQ is used as a stabilizer and is added to varnishes, lacquers, resins, and oil field additives.
In high doses,TBHQ led to stomach tumors and damage to DNA for lab animals . Prolonged exposure to TBHQ may cause cancer. While this is for high doses and lab rats, I have trouble with the idea that something you can only handle with protective clothing, per the Material Safety Data Sheet, is going in my food. You can find TBHQ in a wide variety of fast food menu items, especially anything fried or cooked in oil.
YELLOW 6 is the third most common food coloring. Industry-sponsored tests showed that this dye caused tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney in the lab animals. The dye is often contaminated by carcinogens. The FDA reviewed this information and concluded that there is no risk to humans.
PROPYL GALLATE has not been thoroughly tested. Initial studies suggest a linkage with cancer. It is used as a preservative in meats like sausage, vegetable oil, fried potatoes, chicken soup base and even chewing gum.
Here are a few more “ingredients” in your fast food, and other manufactured food products:
Sodium- and tetrasodium pyrophosphate, a “slightly toxic” food additive used as a thickening agent. You can find this in coffee creamer and other foods like marshmallows and some chicken nuggets. Define “slightly toxic?” Is it just slightly bad for you? Or just not even remotely good for you?
Polydimethylsiloxane is used as an “anti-foaming” agent in fried foods. It is thought to be relatively safe. It is also used in the manufacture of items like Silly Putty, silicone grease, breast implants. It can be used to treat head lice.
Sodium hexametaphosphate is used as an additive to promote stability. It is also used in the manufacture of water softening agents and detergents.
Would you like to learn more about food additives? The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a helpful list of the most concerning food additives. Once you’ve read the list, you can find those same ingredients in these fast food menus; menu, menu, menu (click nutrition guide, then ingredient statement).
#
lovejahlive said on February 12th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
That’s why they taste so good!
#
3
Alli said on February 12th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Your comment on something that “requires protective clothing” as per the MSDS does not impress me. EVERYTHING requires protective clothing according to the MSDS. Even plain distilled water.
That said, it’s shameful that people think that chicken nuggets and other fast food is acceptable to feed their children. For goodness’ sake, feed them a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! It’s MUCH more nutritious, and CHEAPER, too!
#
4
Kim said on February 12th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
To Sharon’s comment about the commercial where the kids were trying to pronounce the ingredients- I believe it was a commercial for Breyer’s ice cream, but I wouldn’t swear to it.
I decided to get healthy and lose weight and my whole family got carried along with me- we don’t do fast food anymore. (I’ve lost almost 50 pounds, and so far it’s staying off.) This just reinforces that I made the right choice!
#
5
Jane Hersey said on February 12th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
For more than 30 years the non-profit Feingold Association has been helping parents find food their children enjoy, but minus the nasty additives. See http://www.feingold.org
#
6
Katy said on February 13th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Back when I was a kid in the 1970s, I remember my sister telling me that my beloved McDonalds shake was made of plastic. I guess she wasn’t that far off.
I haven’t eaten at a McDonalds in over 20 years.
#
7
Author photo Beth Bader said on February 13th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
That’s funny. Katy, perhaps you should send your sister a “Thank you!” Around our house, the last bit of fast food we would eat was Taco Bell, no other ones ever. Then, I read Fast Food Nation, and all the fast food went for good.
#
8
Kendra Holliday said on February 13th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
OH. MY. GOD. That list is quite the mouthful.
Guess how many times my 7 yr old has had a Happy Meal? Zero.
Yes I’m bragging.
#
9
Author photo Lee Welles said on February 13th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
You can put that to music! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDfxHgwkRTE&feature=related (Ignore the transformers video)
If you want to see the original video with audio done by a fan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT9VHA88Fcg&feature=related
Let me know if you end up humming this all day tomorrow!
#
10
Alternative Fuels Now » So, What’s in that Happy Meal Besides the Cheap Toy? said on February 15th, 2008 at 1:01 am
[...] original news source Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
Published on February 12th, 2008
Ever wonder what’s really in your fast food meal? Here’s the ingredients list for a Happy Meal that contains nuggets, fries and a Hi-C beverage:
White boneless chicken, water, food starch-modified, salt, chicken flavor (autolyzed yeast extract, salt, wheat starch, natural flavoring (botanical source), safflower oil, dextrose, citric acid, rosemary), sodium phosphates, seasoning (canola oil, mono- and diglycerides, natural extractives of rosemary). Battered and breaded with: water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, food starch-modified, salt, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate), spices, wheat starch, whey, corn starch. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent). Water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), potassium benzoate (to protect taste), modified food starch, natural flavors (vegetable source), glycerol ester of wood rosin, yellow 6, brominated vegetable oil, red 40. Potatoes, vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives)*, citric acid (preservative), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent)), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent).
Wow. Amidst the few recognizable food items and the really-bad-for-you hydrogentated oils, what is all that other stuff? Get the answer after the jump.
Those ingredients are food additives. Additives are chemical compounds that are used to enhance or preserve (enhance being a relative term) color, texture, flavor and shelf life of a manufactured food. Some additives are safe, at least as far as the FDA is concerned, in small quantities. However, there are many that just don’t belong in food despite what the FDA says.
In at least one case, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services contradicts the FDA on the safety of an additive.BHA, BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE , and BHT, or BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE, are both used to prevent oils from going rancid, oils such as those used in frying. BHA is considered to be “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” Testing of BHT is unclear whether or not it may be a carcinogen as well, and residues of this chemical have been found in human fat stores. Despite the Department of Health and Human Services findings, the FDA continues to allow BHA to be used. You can find both of these substances in the sausage patties of a fast food breakfast sandwich.
TBHQ, or TERT-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE is used as an antioxidant for unsaturated vegetable oils and animal fats. It can be used in combination with BHA. It is added to a wide range of foods, with highest limit permitted for frozen fish. It is used to enhance storage life. For industrial use, TBHQ is used as a stabilizer and is added to varnishes, lacquers, resins, and oil field additives.
In high doses,TBHQ led to stomach tumors and damage to DNA for lab animals . Prolonged exposure to TBHQ may cause cancer. While this is for high doses and lab rats, I have trouble with the idea that something you can only handle with protective clothing, per the Material Safety Data Sheet, is going in my food. You can find TBHQ in a wide variety of fast food menu items, especially anything fried or cooked in oil.
YELLOW 6 is the third most common food coloring. Industry-sponsored tests showed that this dye caused tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney in the lab animals. The dye is often contaminated by carcinogens. The FDA reviewed this information and concluded that there is no risk to humans.
PROPYL GALLATE has not been thoroughly tested. Initial studies suggest a linkage with cancer. It is used as a preservative in meats like sausage, vegetable oil, fried potatoes, chicken soup base and even chewing gum.
Here are a few more “ingredients” in your fast food, and other manufactured food products:
Sodium- and tetrasodium pyrophosphate, a “slightly toxic” food additive used as a thickening agent. You can find this in coffee creamer and other foods like marshmallows and some chicken nuggets. Define “slightly toxic?” Is it just slightly bad for you? Or just not even remotely good for you?
Polydimethylsiloxane is used as an “anti-foaming” agent in fried foods. It is thought to be relatively safe. It is also used in the manufacture of items like Silly Putty, silicone grease, breast implants. It can be used to treat head lice.
Sodium hexametaphosphate is used as an additive to promote stability. It is also used in the manufacture of water softening agents and detergents.
Would you like to learn more about food additives? The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a helpful list of the most concerning food additives. Once you’ve read the list, you can find those same ingredients in these fast food menus; menu, menu, menu (click nutrition guide, then ingredient statement).
#
lovejahlive said on February 12th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
That’s why they taste so good!
#
3
Alli said on February 12th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Your comment on something that “requires protective clothing” as per the MSDS does not impress me. EVERYTHING requires protective clothing according to the MSDS. Even plain distilled water.
That said, it’s shameful that people think that chicken nuggets and other fast food is acceptable to feed their children. For goodness’ sake, feed them a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! It’s MUCH more nutritious, and CHEAPER, too!
#
4
Kim said on February 12th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
To Sharon’s comment about the commercial where the kids were trying to pronounce the ingredients- I believe it was a commercial for Breyer’s ice cream, but I wouldn’t swear to it.
I decided to get healthy and lose weight and my whole family got carried along with me- we don’t do fast food anymore. (I’ve lost almost 50 pounds, and so far it’s staying off.) This just reinforces that I made the right choice!
#
5
Jane Hersey said on February 12th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
For more than 30 years the non-profit Feingold Association has been helping parents find food their children enjoy, but minus the nasty additives. See http://www.feingold.org
#
6
Katy said on February 13th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Back when I was a kid in the 1970s, I remember my sister telling me that my beloved McDonalds shake was made of plastic. I guess she wasn’t that far off.
I haven’t eaten at a McDonalds in over 20 years.
#
7
Author photo Beth Bader said on February 13th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
That’s funny. Katy, perhaps you should send your sister a “Thank you!” Around our house, the last bit of fast food we would eat was Taco Bell, no other ones ever. Then, I read Fast Food Nation, and all the fast food went for good.
#
8
Kendra Holliday said on February 13th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
OH. MY. GOD. That list is quite the mouthful.
Guess how many times my 7 yr old has had a Happy Meal? Zero.
Yes I’m bragging.
#
9
Author photo Lee Welles said on February 13th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
You can put that to music! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDfxHgwkRTE&feature=related (Ignore the transformers video)
If you want to see the original video with audio done by a fan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT9VHA88Fcg&feature=related
Let me know if you end up humming this all day tomorrow!
#
10
Alternative Fuels Now » So, What’s in that Happy Meal Besides the Cheap Toy? said on February 15th, 2008 at 1:01 am
[...] original news source Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
MSG (a slow poison)
MSG
The food additive MSG (Mono-Sodium Glutamate) is a slow poison. MSG
hides behind 25 or more names, such as Natural Flavoring.' MSG is even in
your favorite coffee from Tim Horton's and Starbucks coffee shops!
I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive
obesity epidemic, and so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research
assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario , Canada , and spent
years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while
going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called The Slow
Poisoning of America .
In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating
obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies.
No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so scientists have to create
them. They make these creatures morbidly obese by injecting them with
MSG when they are first born.
The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats
(and perhaps humans) to become obese. They even have a name for the
fat rodents they create: 'MSG-Treated Rats.'
When I heard this, I was shocked. I went into my kitchen and checked
the cupboards and the refrigerator. MSG was in everything -- the Campbell 's
soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavored potato chips, Top Ramen,
Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen
prepared meals, and Kraft salad dressings, especially the 'healthy low-fat' ones.
The items that didn't have MSG marked on the product label had
something called 'Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein,' which is just another
name for Monosodium Glutamate.
It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our
children everyday are filled with this stuff. MSG is hidden under many
different names in order to fool those who read the ingredient list, so that
they don't catch on. (Other names for MSG are 'Accent, 'Aginomoto,'
'Natural Meat Tenderizer,' etc.)
But it didn't stop there.
When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants
what menu items contained MSG. Many employees, even the managers, swore
they didn't use MSG.
But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly
provided, sure enough, MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere.
Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, every restaurant -- even
the sit-down eateries like TGIF, Chili's, Applebee's, and Denny's -- use MSG
in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender:
MSG was in every chicken dish, salad dressing. and gravy. No wonder I loved
to eat that coating on the skin -- their secret spice was MSG!
So why is MSG in so many of the foods we eat? Is it a preservative,
or a vitamin?
Not according to my friend John Erb. In his book The Slow Poisoning
of America , he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it
has on the human body.
Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby
group supporting MSG explains that the reason they add it to food is to
make people eat more.
A study of the elderly showed that older people eat more of the foods
that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobbying group says eating
more is a benefit to the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us?
'Betcha can't eat [just] one,' takes on a whole new meaning where MSG
is concerned! And we wonder why the nation is overweight!
MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their
products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes
people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added.
Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive
substance. Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago,
MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged meals,
soups, snacks, and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday.
The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food.
They claim it's safe to eat in any amount. But how can they claim it's safe
when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these:
'The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of
exercise in obesity.' Gobatto CA, Mello MA, Souza CT , Ribeiro IA. Res
Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002.
'Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin
release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats.' Guimaraes
RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro. Brain Res Bull.
2002 Aug.
'Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in
spontaneously hypertensive rats: An animal model of multiple risk factors.'
Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, Ichikawa K, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima.
Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar.
'Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in
suckling period and subsequent development of obesity.' Tanaka K,
Shimada M, Nakao K Kusunoki. Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct.
No, the date of that last study was not a typo; it was published in
1978. Both the 'medical research community' and 'food manufacturers' have
known about the side effects of MSG for decades.
Many more of the studies mentioned in John Erb's book link MSG to
diabetes, migraines and headaches, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's.
So what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping this
fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity
epidemic we now see?
Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of
the highest government health officials in Canada .
While he was sitting in the government office, the official told him,
'Sure, I know how bad MSG is. I wouldn't touch the stuff.' But this
top-level government official refuses to tell the public what he knows.
The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing issues
with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on the fast food industry
may hurt their profit margin. The food producers and restaurants have
been addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying
the price for it. Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused
by an addictive food additive.
But what can I do about it? I'm just one voice! What can I do to
stop the poisoning of our children, while our governments are insuring
financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us?
This message is going out to everyone I know in an attempt to tell
you the truth that the corporate-owned politicians and media won't tell you.
The best way you can help to save yourself and your children from
this drug-induced epidemic is to forward this article to everyone.
With any luck, it will circle the globe before politicians can pass the legislation
protecting those who are poisoning us.
The food industry learned a lot from the tobacco industry. Imagine if
big tobacco had a bill like this in place before someone blew the whistle
on nicotine?
If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for
us and you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go
to the National Library of Medicine at www.pubmed.com Type in the
words 'MSG Obese' and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear.
We the public do not want to be rats in one giant experiment, and we
do not approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic,
addicted sheep, feeding the food industry's bottom line while waiting for
the heart transplant, the diabetic-induced amputation, blindness, or other
obesity-induced, life-threatening disorders.
With your help we can put an end to this poison. Do your part in
sending this message out by word of mouth, e-mail, or by distribution of
this printout to your friends all over the world and stop this 'Slow
Poisoning of Mankind' by the packaged food industry.
Blowing the whistle on MSG is our responsibility, so get the word out.
Association of Monosodium Glutamate Intake With Overweight in Chinese Adults: The INTERMAP Study.
KFC INGREDIENT LIST
TACO BELL® Ingredient Statement
McDonald's USA Ingredients Listing for Popular Menu Items
The food additive MSG (Mono-Sodium Glutamate) is a slow poison. MSG
hides behind 25 or more names, such as Natural Flavoring.' MSG is even in
your favorite coffee from Tim Horton's and Starbucks coffee shops!
I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive
obesity epidemic, and so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research
assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario , Canada , and spent
years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while
going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called The Slow
Poisoning of America .
In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating
obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies.
No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so scientists have to create
them. They make these creatures morbidly obese by injecting them with
MSG when they are first born.
The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats
(and perhaps humans) to become obese. They even have a name for the
fat rodents they create: 'MSG-Treated Rats.'
When I heard this, I was shocked. I went into my kitchen and checked
the cupboards and the refrigerator. MSG was in everything -- the Campbell 's
soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavored potato chips, Top Ramen,
Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen
prepared meals, and Kraft salad dressings, especially the 'healthy low-fat' ones.
The items that didn't have MSG marked on the product label had
something called 'Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein,' which is just another
name for Monosodium Glutamate.
It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our
children everyday are filled with this stuff. MSG is hidden under many
different names in order to fool those who read the ingredient list, so that
they don't catch on. (Other names for MSG are 'Accent, 'Aginomoto,'
'Natural Meat Tenderizer,' etc.)
But it didn't stop there.
When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants
what menu items contained MSG. Many employees, even the managers, swore
they didn't use MSG.
But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly
provided, sure enough, MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere.
Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, every restaurant -- even
the sit-down eateries like TGIF, Chili's, Applebee's, and Denny's -- use MSG
in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender:
MSG was in every chicken dish, salad dressing. and gravy. No wonder I loved
to eat that coating on the skin -- their secret spice was MSG!
So why is MSG in so many of the foods we eat? Is it a preservative,
or a vitamin?
Not according to my friend John Erb. In his book The Slow Poisoning
of America , he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it
has on the human body.
Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby
group supporting MSG explains that the reason they add it to food is to
make people eat more.
A study of the elderly showed that older people eat more of the foods
that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobbying group says eating
more is a benefit to the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us?
'Betcha can't eat [just] one,' takes on a whole new meaning where MSG
is concerned! And we wonder why the nation is overweight!
MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their
products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes
people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added.
Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive
substance. Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago,
MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged meals,
soups, snacks, and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday.
The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food.
They claim it's safe to eat in any amount. But how can they claim it's safe
when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these:
'The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of
exercise in obesity.' Gobatto CA, Mello MA, Souza CT , Ribeiro IA. Res
Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002.
'Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin
release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats.' Guimaraes
RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro. Brain Res Bull.
2002 Aug.
'Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in
spontaneously hypertensive rats: An animal model of multiple risk factors.'
Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, Ichikawa K, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima.
Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar.
'Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in
suckling period and subsequent development of obesity.' Tanaka K,
Shimada M, Nakao K Kusunoki. Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct.
No, the date of that last study was not a typo; it was published in
1978. Both the 'medical research community' and 'food manufacturers' have
known about the side effects of MSG for decades.
Many more of the studies mentioned in John Erb's book link MSG to
diabetes, migraines and headaches, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's.
So what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping this
fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity
epidemic we now see?
Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of
the highest government health officials in Canada .
While he was sitting in the government office, the official told him,
'Sure, I know how bad MSG is. I wouldn't touch the stuff.' But this
top-level government official refuses to tell the public what he knows.
The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing issues
with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on the fast food industry
may hurt their profit margin. The food producers and restaurants have
been addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying
the price for it. Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused
by an addictive food additive.
But what can I do about it? I'm just one voice! What can I do to
stop the poisoning of our children, while our governments are insuring
financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us?
This message is going out to everyone I know in an attempt to tell
you the truth that the corporate-owned politicians and media won't tell you.
The best way you can help to save yourself and your children from
this drug-induced epidemic is to forward this article to everyone.
With any luck, it will circle the globe before politicians can pass the legislation
protecting those who are poisoning us.
The food industry learned a lot from the tobacco industry. Imagine if
big tobacco had a bill like this in place before someone blew the whistle
on nicotine?
If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for
us and you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go
to the National Library of Medicine at www.pubmed.com Type in the
words 'MSG Obese' and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear.
We the public do not want to be rats in one giant experiment, and we
do not approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic,
addicted sheep, feeding the food industry's bottom line while waiting for
the heart transplant, the diabetic-induced amputation, blindness, or other
obesity-induced, life-threatening disorders.
With your help we can put an end to this poison. Do your part in
sending this message out by word of mouth, e-mail, or by distribution of
this printout to your friends all over the world and stop this 'Slow
Poisoning of Mankind' by the packaged food industry.
Blowing the whistle on MSG is our responsibility, so get the word out.
Association of Monosodium Glutamate Intake With Overweight in Chinese Adults: The INTERMAP Study.
KFC INGREDIENT LIST
TACO BELL® Ingredient Statement
McDonald's USA Ingredients Listing for Popular Menu Items
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The truth about the cell-phone–cancer link
The Cell Tolls for Thee
The truth about the cell-phone–cancer link and what it means for you and your kids
By Julie A. Evans, Best Life
When Vini Khurana, PhD, an Australian (and Mayo Clinic–trained) neurosurgeon, announced that the link between cell-phone use and cancer was irrefutable--the result of his analysis of more than 100 studies--it set off alarm bells around the world. Use a cell phone, he said, and you increase your risk of developing a malignant brain tumor by two to four times. Until recently, the majority of research indicated little or no link between cell phones and cancer (the World Health Organization and the American Cancer Society maintain that cell phones pose no threat), but several new long-term studies have cast doubt about their safety. Given that cell phones and PDAs serve as lifelines for so many people--24 percent of 10- and 11-year-olds carry them--it raises urgent questions. To find out what precautions you should take when using your cell phone, we dialed the nation's leading experts.
Do cell phones cause cancer?
Maybe…with extended use. Mobile-phone users are twice as likely to develop malignant, difficult-to-treat brain tumors called gilomas, according to a first-of-its-kind study that analyzed the effects of cell-phone use over 10 years or more and was published last year in the journal Occupational Environmental Medicine. The Bioinitiative Working Group, an international coalition of scientists and public-health experts, recently published a hefty report detailing the link between the nonionizing radiation caused by a cell phone's electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer, DNA damage, Alzheimer's, and other diseases. "The cells in the body react to EMFs in cell phones just like they do to other environmental toxins, including heavy metals and chemicals," says Martin Blank, PhD, a professor in bioelectromagnetics at Columbia University and one of the report's authors. The study found that risk from cell-phone use starts at 260 lifetime hours.
Do cell phones emit radiation only when you are talking?
No. "Cell phones give off radiation any time they're turned on so that they can communicate with base stations," says Lou Bloomfield, PhD, professor of physics at the University of Virginia and author of How Everything Works: Making Physics Out of the Ordinary. "The radiation emitted, however, is stronger and more frequent when you're talking or messaging." Also, the greater distance you are from a base station, the more radiation your phone must emit in order to get a signal, which is why your phone feels hot when you have low reception. That heat you feel is radiation. The Bioinitiative study found that adverse effects to DNA can also occur before the phone heats up. To reduce your exposure, make calls only when you have strong reception, hang up before your phone heats up, and store your phone away from your body when it's not in use.
What is a phone's SAR value and why does it matter?
SAR stands for specific absorption rate, and it refers to the rate of radiation exposure from radio frequency and microwaves measured in watts per kilogram of tissue, says Bloomfield. The FCC limit on any cell phone sold in this country is 1.6 watts per kilogram. To find the SAR value for your phone, go to fcc.gov/cgb/sar/. At press time, the phone with the lowest radiation was the LG KG800, at 0.135 w/kg. The highest: Motorola V195s, at 1.6 w/kg. The Apple iPhone is in the middle, at 0.974 w/kg.
What is the range of the radiation?
Exposure to radiation from your cell phone drops off slowly for the first three to four inches from your body, and then it falls dramatically, says Bloomfield. To reduce your exposure, invest in a hands-free headset and limit the amount of time you spend talking on the phone. Khurana recommends using the speaker mode and holding the phone about eight inches away from you. Also, limit your use of Bluetooth devices. While it's true that they emit the least amount of radiation (one study found they can operate as low as 0.001 watts per kilogram), even that can add up fast.
Is it risky to carry a cell phone in your pants pocket?
Maybe. One 2006 study found no link to testicular cancer, but other researchers suspect a link to male infertility. Ashok Agarwal, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, recently completed a study in which cell phones were set down for one hour in talk mode, next to sperm samples in test tubes. He found that the sperm's motility and viability were significantly reduced, and levels of harmful free radicals increased after exposure. Agarwal suggests storing the phone in your jacket pocket to reduce exposure to cell-phone radiation. Pregnant women need to take precautions too, because a recent study found that cell-phone use while pregnant is linked to behavioral problems in children.
Are kids more at risk?
"Yes, since children's nervous systems are still developing, and they have thinner scalps and skulls than adults, they should use cell phones only in emergencies," says Gene Barnett, MD, professor and director of the Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center at the Cleveland Clinic. The association between childhood leukemia and exposure to EMFs like those from cell phones has led the International Agency for Research on Cancer to classify them as a "possible human carcinogen." The medical establishments in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom all recommend severe restrictions on children's cell-phone use, with some experts going so far as to say that children under 16 shouldn't use cell phones at all. Make sure your kids opt for landlines when they're at home, and if you must buy them a cell phone for emergencies, get one with a low SAR number.
What about texting?
It's actually a safer way to communicate, says David O. Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Since kids hold phones away from their bodies when texting, they're exposed to less radiation than when they have the phones to their ears. "We are very concerned about teen cell-phone use, fearing that we face an epidemic of brain tumors 10 to 20 years from now, and there are so few who are raising warning flags," says Dr. Carpenter. Make sure your teen keeps his cell phone turned off and stored in his backpack when it isn't in use, which will dramatically reduce exposure.
The truth about the cell-phone–cancer link and what it means for you and your kids
By Julie A. Evans, Best Life
When Vini Khurana, PhD, an Australian (and Mayo Clinic–trained) neurosurgeon, announced that the link between cell-phone use and cancer was irrefutable--the result of his analysis of more than 100 studies--it set off alarm bells around the world. Use a cell phone, he said, and you increase your risk of developing a malignant brain tumor by two to four times. Until recently, the majority of research indicated little or no link between cell phones and cancer (the World Health Organization and the American Cancer Society maintain that cell phones pose no threat), but several new long-term studies have cast doubt about their safety. Given that cell phones and PDAs serve as lifelines for so many people--24 percent of 10- and 11-year-olds carry them--it raises urgent questions. To find out what precautions you should take when using your cell phone, we dialed the nation's leading experts.
Do cell phones cause cancer?
Maybe…with extended use. Mobile-phone users are twice as likely to develop malignant, difficult-to-treat brain tumors called gilomas, according to a first-of-its-kind study that analyzed the effects of cell-phone use over 10 years or more and was published last year in the journal Occupational Environmental Medicine. The Bioinitiative Working Group, an international coalition of scientists and public-health experts, recently published a hefty report detailing the link between the nonionizing radiation caused by a cell phone's electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer, DNA damage, Alzheimer's, and other diseases. "The cells in the body react to EMFs in cell phones just like they do to other environmental toxins, including heavy metals and chemicals," says Martin Blank, PhD, a professor in bioelectromagnetics at Columbia University and one of the report's authors. The study found that risk from cell-phone use starts at 260 lifetime hours.
Do cell phones emit radiation only when you are talking?
No. "Cell phones give off radiation any time they're turned on so that they can communicate with base stations," says Lou Bloomfield, PhD, professor of physics at the University of Virginia and author of How Everything Works: Making Physics Out of the Ordinary. "The radiation emitted, however, is stronger and more frequent when you're talking or messaging." Also, the greater distance you are from a base station, the more radiation your phone must emit in order to get a signal, which is why your phone feels hot when you have low reception. That heat you feel is radiation. The Bioinitiative study found that adverse effects to DNA can also occur before the phone heats up. To reduce your exposure, make calls only when you have strong reception, hang up before your phone heats up, and store your phone away from your body when it's not in use.
What is a phone's SAR value and why does it matter?
SAR stands for specific absorption rate, and it refers to the rate of radiation exposure from radio frequency and microwaves measured in watts per kilogram of tissue, says Bloomfield. The FCC limit on any cell phone sold in this country is 1.6 watts per kilogram. To find the SAR value for your phone, go to fcc.gov/cgb/sar/. At press time, the phone with the lowest radiation was the LG KG800, at 0.135 w/kg. The highest: Motorola V195s, at 1.6 w/kg. The Apple iPhone is in the middle, at 0.974 w/kg.
What is the range of the radiation?
Exposure to radiation from your cell phone drops off slowly for the first three to four inches from your body, and then it falls dramatically, says Bloomfield. To reduce your exposure, invest in a hands-free headset and limit the amount of time you spend talking on the phone. Khurana recommends using the speaker mode and holding the phone about eight inches away from you. Also, limit your use of Bluetooth devices. While it's true that they emit the least amount of radiation (one study found they can operate as low as 0.001 watts per kilogram), even that can add up fast.
Is it risky to carry a cell phone in your pants pocket?
Maybe. One 2006 study found no link to testicular cancer, but other researchers suspect a link to male infertility. Ashok Agarwal, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, recently completed a study in which cell phones were set down for one hour in talk mode, next to sperm samples in test tubes. He found that the sperm's motility and viability were significantly reduced, and levels of harmful free radicals increased after exposure. Agarwal suggests storing the phone in your jacket pocket to reduce exposure to cell-phone radiation. Pregnant women need to take precautions too, because a recent study found that cell-phone use while pregnant is linked to behavioral problems in children.
Are kids more at risk?
"Yes, since children's nervous systems are still developing, and they have thinner scalps and skulls than adults, they should use cell phones only in emergencies," says Gene Barnett, MD, professor and director of the Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center at the Cleveland Clinic. The association between childhood leukemia and exposure to EMFs like those from cell phones has led the International Agency for Research on Cancer to classify them as a "possible human carcinogen." The medical establishments in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom all recommend severe restrictions on children's cell-phone use, with some experts going so far as to say that children under 16 shouldn't use cell phones at all. Make sure your kids opt for landlines when they're at home, and if you must buy them a cell phone for emergencies, get one with a low SAR number.
What about texting?
It's actually a safer way to communicate, says David O. Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Since kids hold phones away from their bodies when texting, they're exposed to less radiation than when they have the phones to their ears. "We are very concerned about teen cell-phone use, fearing that we face an epidemic of brain tumors 10 to 20 years from now, and there are so few who are raising warning flags," says Dr. Carpenter. Make sure your teen keeps his cell phone turned off and stored in his backpack when it isn't in use, which will dramatically reduce exposure.
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